Sea Kayaking Våttkort Courses in Oslo
If you are wanting to learn kayaking in Oslo, then you are in the right place! Mad Goats teaches both the 3-hr Introduction Sea Kayaking Våttkort Course (Introkurs Hav) and the 2-day Basic Sea Kayaking Våttkort Courses in Oslo. (Grunnkurs Hav). These are both beginner-level kayaking courses, suitable for complete beginners wanting to learn how to kayak from the very start, or kayakers wanting to refresh their basic paddling skills – especially if they have not been kayaking for awhile! Getting your våttkort allows you to go kayaking in Oslo with confidence.
Our sea kayaking våttkort courses in Oslo are run from Mad Goats Bjørvika in central city, behind the new Munch Museum in the Bispevika bay. Our våttkort kayak base has secure storage for all your belongings, is very easy to get to by public transport or walking. Our våttkort kayak courses in Oslo are all taught by highly skilled, professional and certified kayaking instructors; all who have completed their Norwegian Paddle Federation Kayak Instructor Qualifications. Once you get your våttkort you can go kayaking in Oslo alone or take your friends and family.
On our våttkort courses we provide all the necessary kayak equipment to keep you warm and safe. Our courses are taught in sheltered areas of the Oslofjord, making the conditions suitable for beginners. We tailor each lesson to both the group and individual, so you feel safe, while still allowing the group to push themselves as far as they feel comfortable. For example, we might teach some students the kayak roll, if they show great enthusiasm, while for others it might be enough just to tip over and exit the kayak. You decide your pace of learning; attendance to the course is the most important thing! Kayaking in Oslo adds a whole new dimension to life beside the fjord; suddenly so many new places are able to be explored!
All our våttkort courses are suitable for most ages and fitness levels. Mad Goats also offers generous discounts for students and youth from 25 – 35%. We can run both the 3-hr Introkurs Hav Kajakkurs and 2-day Grunnkurs Hav Kajakk kurs, as private events for team building groups or any type of event. Once you complete your våttkort kayak course with us you will be able to rent kayaks from our 2 rental locations in Oslo – Bjørvika and Tjuvholmen – and take your friends and family out kayaking in Oslo on the wonderful Oslofjord – “Catch you on the water!”
What is a Våttkort?
The Våttkort is the Norwegian Paddling Federation’s (NPF) certification for completed certified courses in canoeing, kayaking, and packrafting. The card itself is a physical plastic card with a format similar to a driver’s license. The card is also available digitally. Other kayak qualifications similar to Norways våttkort are the Swedish Paddle Pass and the European Paddle Pass. At Mad Goats we recognise them all!
While it’s not mandatory to have a Våttkort to paddle a kayak, paddle clubs and commercial operators renting out kayaks may require individuals to have one. It serves as proof that the paddler has received instruction in basic technique, safety, and risk assessment. Mad Goats does not require their customers to have a våttkort rent a kayak in Oslo but we do recommend it.
Våttkort courses are organized by the Norwegian Paddling Federation, paddle clubs affiliated with the Norwegian Paddling Federation, and private course providers approved by the Norwegian Paddling Federation. Upon completion of a Våttkort course (våttkort kajakk kurs), participants receive a course certificate in the form of a sticker that is affixed to the back of the card. Each card has a unique number registered on the paddler’s profile in the Norwegian Paddling Federation’s Våttkort Kajakkurs database. By logging in, individuals can access their digital Våttkort and view completed courses. The digital Våttkort was launched in the summer of 2021.
Course Progression – The Våttkort Qualification Ladder
For the first three levels of the Våttkort ladder, participation is sufficient. At the next three levels, the participant is assessed and approved by a mentor/instructor.
Starting from January 1, 2008, the Norwegian Paddling Federation (Norsk Padling) introduced a requirement that course participants must take the courses in chronological order starting from the basic course. This means that one does not need to complete introductory courses but can start directly with the basic course.
To end, and as we stated earlier, Mad Goats do not require you to have a våttkort to rent a kayak in Oslo but we definitely recommend that you have prior kayaking experience and know how to rescue yourself and those who you are paddling with.